Voices
by T1gerCat
Summary: When Alana was younger and liked to be called by her middle name 'Jaye' she was plagued by the Voices of the muses. Now she is older and during a crucial dinner, they come back. As her life gets more complicated will the voices help or cause her troubles? *Rated M for lemons oranges and other good for the health fruits*
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The room was intimately lit. Alana Bloom was sitting opposite from Will Graham, a mixture of annoyance and pleasure coursing through her. Pleasure to see him again after weeks of them shutting each other out, because she had missed her friend, and annoyance at doing so in a controlled environment. How could she grill him about everything when their interaction was observed?

So she remained quiet, politely sipping her wine wishing it was beer and observing Will underneath her lashes.

Will was doing the same. An invitation to dinner with Hannibal and Alana was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because he hadn't realized how deeply his own feelings for the brunette ran, truly it was more of an annoyance ever since she bluntly told him he was losing touch with reality six months ago, not until he found himself fantasizing about her during intercourse with Margot the previous night, and a curse for the exact same reason.

She was with someone else.

The cannibalistic serial killer he needed to catch, for Hannibal had messed up his life, no matter how deeply undercover he went. It didn't help that Will's own actions pushed her to Hannibal's bed nor that Hannibal knew about Will's feelings towards Alana. All because Will was upset and punished her shifting trust and love by shutting her out.

At least he was making her equally uncomfortable if the pursing of her lips and the frequent sips of her wine were any indication. Nimble fingers were playing with her starfish pendant, threatening to choke the little silver. Will snorted under his breath. If only the poor thing could talk...

Alana looked up sharply at the snort. Blue eyes met bluer ones and the annoyance inside her won. Pulling her hand away from her pendant she pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear and sat straighter hearing the squeak of wheels as Hannibal approached the dining room. If nothing else, at least this evening would be a chance to see how the two men interacted.

"How are you?"

Will asked seeing her look at him. Alana's wine glass was halfway to her mouth and she took a sip to cover her search for an answer that would be both polite and true.

"Lie"

A female, childish voice commanded her and she froze. The wine crawled back up her throat and she began wheezing and coughing violently. Eyes wide, she was looking everywhere for the owner of the voice, knowing fully well she was the only woman in the house.

"Lie"

it said again and this time Alana frightfully looked down. The tiny eyes etched on her pendant were looking at her, incredibly alive and the tiny mouth moved again commanding her

"Lie"

Gasping for breath Alana looked at will who was looking at her alarmed. She was whiter than a sheet and looked downright scared

"Alana, are you okay?"

He reached across the table and squeezed her hand. The contact brought Alana out of her focus on the talking pendant and she managed to swallow.

"I'm fine"

She said between cough

"Went down the wrong pipe"

She excused pointing to her throat and licked her lips trying to clear her head and sort the thoughts running crazy in her head. Feeling Hannibal's presence behind her she pulled her hand from will's grasp uncomfortable with it and pushed her hair back with both hands.

"Brined and roasted whole suckling pig"

Hannibal announced, his voice and soothing presence caused her to relax even at the sight of the roasted whole pig, sausages, god knows what else and grapes. Her appetite was slowly disappearing. Feeling Will's eyes scrutizing her Alana spared him a look with a mixture of camaderie and reproach.

"A gift from a friend"

Hannibal went on serving her a small bite of meat and mixed rice

"A friend of yours, not a friend of the pig"

Will's cold tone killed the smile Alana had just shared with Hannibal.

"There are those who raise livestock and have genuine affection for them. The farmer who hand rears lambs loves them and sends them to slaughter"

Hannibal responded to Will as he served his other guest.

"They love and kill what they love"

Alana remarked, her earlier thoughts about Will and conversation with Freddie returning to her mind, chasing the worry about her talking pendant away. She'd deal with her 'sode later, maybe never.

"And eat what the love. It's a paradox"

Will felt read to puke. Not because of the food, for he knew it was pig this time but for the conversation. Hannibal had practically told him he had no problem killing and eating who he loves and Alana was sitting across from him, agreeing with their host having no idea what she was talking about. Hopefully.

"Freddie Lounds thinks the two of you are a paradox. She sees something no one else sees"

She said her eyes looking at Hannibal but being intrigued by will's barely visible flinch that he covered by asking

"What's that?"

"That neither of you is the killer she's writing about, but together, you might be"

She explained unconsciously avoiding her food

"Freddie Lounds must consider you a bland interview subject if she's already resorted to fiction"

Hannibal joked gently touching her knee with his and allowing the contact to sooth the day away. Alana noticed that even though his body was touching hers, his eyes were to Will and the men were locked in a look that excluded her.

"She won't be fenced in by something as malleable as the truth. Freddie has no boundaries"

She pushed. Before taking a bite of her food. Felt Will's eyes on her, she looked at him, Hannibal and his eerie calm in the corner of her eye, but didn't hear what he said. Her attention was stolen by the pig laying on the serving tray next to Will that chose that minute to open its blasted mouth

"Run or become me"

Almost on reflex her bite was spat on her napkin and she pushed her chair back coughing harder than before.

"Run or become me"

The pig insisted and Alana felt tears clouding her vision. She was dimly aware of Hannibal jumping out of his chair to touch her

"What did you say?"

She almost shouted

"Run or become me"

The pig spoke louder and covered Will's reply

"Someone without boundaries is a psychopath"

This time Alana jumped to her feet and swayed remaining upright only by Hannibal's arm around her waist pulling her onto his solid frame.

"Alana, are you alright?"

Hannibal was worried. Taking subtly her pulse he felt it racing too fast and she was paler than the dead, her eyes wild and her breath fast.

"I don't feel so good. I think I should be getting home. Sorry to ruin our meal"

running a hand over her face and finding her feverish Hannibal brushed away her apologies and spoke softly in her ear paying no attention to will sitting in his chair taking the two of them in, observing the couple.

"Nonsense. Why don't you head upstairs and in bed? I'll join you shortly"

Almost paying no attention to what he said Alana nodded and bid Will goodbye absentminded. Borrowing strength from Hannibal she walked out of the room and waited till she was out of sight before holding onto walls on her way to the bedroom.

In the dining room Hannibal turned to Will and regarded the younger man his tone a careful mix of accusation and wonder

"What did you say to her?"

Will shrugged a response but was equally curious about her. Hannibal sat back down and the two continued their dinner, their conversation about Freddie and what would have to be done with her but will could see that Alana's abrupt departure was higher in the internal list of Hannibal's focus than Freddie or himself.

He tried not to admit to himself how upset he was that Alana was spending the night.

Hannibal dimly remembered guiding Will to decide that Freddie had to be eliminative although if his attention wasn't mostly on Alana, he would have realized that it was imperative that Freddie remained alive. If she died now it would be obvious that it was her current story would point to her killer even to someone with jack's limited brain capacity

It was pointless since he was not gifted with the ability of sight through ceilings, floors and walls but he found his eyes traveling to the ceiling hoping to see Alana and make sure she was alright.

She hadn't even tried his mixed pig and human meat sausages.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Alone in Hannibal's room Alana kicked off her heels, fell backwards on the big comfortable bed and took her pendant off. Holding it in her palm she looked at it, allowed it to remind her what it symbolizes.

"Why now?"

She asked the empty room feeling the old feeling of dread creeping over her. It had been years since inanimate animal figures had spoken to her. It wasn't a three month period she was eager to relive.

"I asked you a question"

She told the pendant but the tiny starfish kept its little mouth firmly shut.

"_Now_ you shut up"

She growled running her fingers through her hair, messing the curls feeling restless and yet so tired... With a sigh she left the pendant on the bed and walked to the ensuit bathroom.

Letting her clothes fall to the ground Alana turned the water on as hot as she could stand it. She closed her eyes, standing gratefully under the spray, letting it massage the aches out of her.

Ten years ago she had hit her personal low. Fresh out of med school, she hadn't gotten the pediatrics fellowship she was gunning for. She had always been an overachiever and the loss of the fellowship combined with the loss of her twin it was more than enough to destroy her. So instead of hunting down other fellowships, she gave up. She got a job in a tourist trap of a shop, working with (and later for) Mouthbreather the dingy, geeky and annoying teenager for barely the minimum wage. She moved out of the family mansion and into a trailer. She was happy. Or so she thought.

The first talking figuring appeared in her life it was just when she was getting used to living the underachiever's life. But then one by one, more and more animal figurines, cardboard dogs in a police station when she got arrested, a snake on her boyfriend's t-shirt, even a freaking flamingo bird on her parents' front lawn pushed her out in the real world. Pushed her to live and experience things. Make her sister proud of her instead of living the life Arriane had chosen for herself until a car accident had claimed her life.

She had asked _'why me'_ the brass monkey in her therapist's office back then. The answer was _'because you listen'_. And she had. She had listened to her parents crumbling marriage, she had listened to her younger brother and his atheist views of theology, had listened to her overbearing (and still overachiever) sister. She let go of things she couldn't control, pushed her best friend to go on with her own life and her boyfriend to remarry his ex and, finally, she put Niagara Falls in her rearview mirror in favor of Psych school.

And the animal figurines had shut up. Feeling in control of her mind, she put on her sister's favorite pendant and became who she now was and yet... the moment the ground beneath her feet crumbled and she was forced to view things around her through a critical eye, Arriane's pendant talked. And then the roasted pig

"Not only I have another 'sode, it's worse than before"

She mused, her voice barely audible in her own ears. The curtain was suddenly drawn aside, and a very naked and smirking Hannibal was climbing into the tub behind her.

"Hello, beautiful. Come here often?"

She shook her head and looked salaciously over her shoulder at him.

"Let me guess, you decided to do your part for the environment by conserving water."

Hannibal grinned, having lost pretenses as well as his clothes and wrapped both arms around her slim waist.

"How are you feeling?"

Alana looked in his eyes and saw worry there so she plastered a cool smile on.

"I'm fine"

Hannibal's eyes darkened and he took her chin in one hand

"Don't. Don't pretend with me. How are you really feeling?"

The worry had migrated to his voice and Alana closed her eyes for a minute and rested her head against his broad shoulder, not wanting to pull him in her crap.

The aquatic themed bathroom they were in was blue and featured sea life without being kitsch. The soap holder was in the shape of a fish and as Alana opened one eye it decided to offer advice

'Tell the truth'

Alana jumped unprepared making Hannibal look at her startled

"I... don't feel so well. Like I'm on slippery road barefoot"

She trailed quietly balancing on a need to know truth instead of therapy in a shower stall. Hannibal's brows furrowed and he tightened his hold on her thinking that dinner with Will wasn't such a good idea in retrospect. It had clearly shaken her and it caused his own mood to darken. Extending one hand to turn the water to a cooler setting before it parboiled them; he gently pushed her away from the scalding hot stream.

"Pass me the shampoo; I want to wash your hair"

He winked at her, making an effort to put all thoughts on Freddie, Mason and Will behind him, his caramel eyes turning almost ruby red as they looked deep into Alana's as she gave him an honest smile and handed him the shampoo. When she closed her eyes and her head dropped on his shoulder, her eyes closed, he gave a low growl hands wrapped possessively around her hips. Mine, he thought.

No one else's.

There was a good thing in sharing the shower, Hannibal thought. It was the perfect way to dispel images he wanted to forget in favor of new, pleasurable ones.

Hannibal found himself kissing the brunette in his arms as the images of Will holding her hand, her fleeing dinner, Will's calm disposition afterwards slipped down the drain.

Those images reminded him Alana would leave him and that it would be for the best when it happened. It made him pull her tight against him, made him kiss her like he'd never get the chance to do this again.

He wasn't supposed to enjoy being with her. He wasn't supposed to feel things. Their relationship was supposed to be a fake one, to panic Will into joining him enough for Hannibal to guide the younger man to taint the scarce evidence the FBI had against him.

He had underestimated Alana and her ability to slink past his defenses and the walls and the masks and suits that protected him from the outside world.

What had started as a gentle friendship intrigued by the cool and untouchable mask she often wore in his classroom had become a more intimate mentor/mentee relationship and bloomed to friendship soon. He hadn't expected that stepping over the friendly line, that she would find her way past his last line of defenses.

Was this love? The feeling of her belonging in his arms, in his bed, in his life, even as he kept some things from her, was love? He wished he could ask her, Alana would know. She looked adorable, her long hair wet and plastered to her body, eyes glistening, lips curled into a smile he had only seen her send his way.

"I like the way you say my name"

He spoke without thinking, his hands gently rubbing her skin clean.

"Wouldn't mind hearing you scream it in ecstasy soon."

He added slyly wondering why he always spoke without thinking first to her. She laughed and splashed him with water sending his morose and depressing thoughts away.

"Are you sure there is enough room for both me and our ego in the shower Dr. Lecter?"

"That was mean Dr. Bloom"

He said making a wounded expression that was so overdone it was obviously false.

"I'm sorry. On the bright side I've never accused you of being too big before"

She hedged with a laugh knowing that she had in fact told him she'd need extra alcohol before handling all of him on their first night together. He had bitched about having to wash the glass the next day instead of right after the dinner and her lipstick would set.

Hannibal laughed loudly and kissed her again, although he got a mouthful of water from the shower when he pulled back, and he had to spend a few moments in undignified coughing while Alana giggled behind her hand and pounded him on the back.

"Go to bed young lady"

He ordered trying and failing to sound stern. Alana watched amused as Hannibal first climbed out of the tub and offered a hand to assist her as she got out of the tub and wrap identical baby blue towels around them.

Trailing her fingers along his chin Alana gave him a kiss, a silent thank you for letting her keep her secret.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"You took it off"

Hannibal remarked holding the tiny starfish by the chain. Alana was sitting on the bed, braiding her still wet hair. She nodded, not wanting the talking pendant on her, yet feeling oddly naked and vulnerable without it.

"I didn't want to get it wet. Put it on me?"

She turned around and let him fasten the dainty chain around her neck and then kiss the sweet smelling skin before she turned her head and caught his lips with her for a minty kiss. Alana smiled and stopped him from putting on his pajama shirt and put it on herself making him smile and shake his head. They settled on the bed and after commenting on his bedside reading choices (she had never expected Johnathan Kellerman to feature there), Alana fell asleep almost on que. Hannibal stayed awake a little longer, looking at her and then wrapped her in his arms and joined her in dreamland.

The next morning he woke up, hunted by a nightmare and held her tighter until the images from his dreams faded away. She looked like an angel sleeping in his arms, dressed in his clothes and he found himself smiling before pulling away from her and getting up from the bed. He watched amused as she pouted in her sleep and turned over to his side of the bed, snuggling into his pillow.

Whistling he headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and bring it to the bedroom on a tray.

Feeling the sun on her face Alana woke up blinking. Then she stretched and curled tighter around Hannibal's pillow allowing his masculine scent to wrap around her as she thought. Ten years ago the figurines wanted her to listen. Did they still want her to listen? Listen to what or who?

Listen to Will (and now Freddie) who they insisted Hannibal was a killer? Listen to her own instincts that told her all that was bad fiction? Ignore it and hope it went away? Bringing the small starfish to her lips for the lucky good morning kiss, she smiled seeing Hannibal at the door holding a tray.

"Breakfast in bed? You must really like me if you're willing to get your sheets dirty with food"

She remarked and blushed when he simply replied

"I do"

And handed her a glass half filled with orange juice. The tray was loaded with two plates filled with food, glasses with juice, cups with coffee and the assorted milk and sugar. Taking it all in Alana looked at the grinning psychiatrist next to her and exclaimed she couldn't possibly eat all that. Hannibal's reply was that she missed dinner; she wasn't going to miss breakfast on his watch too making her purse her lips at him only to be greeted with a fork carrying a bite of pancake covered with honey.

When she complied and chewed Hannibal took a bite of the accompanying sausage himself and chased it down with coffee. They spoke of everything and nothing as they ate, and then shared the bathroom as they brushed their teeth together; Hannibal shaving while Alana did her makeup, a sense of normalcy wrapped around them.

"You know it's silly to be living off of that overnight bag"

He mentioned as Alana placed said overnight bag on the settee at the end of the bed and took a red and black dress out to put on

"What do you suggest I do instead?"

Alana asked hoping her dread wasn't audible in her voice.

"Leave a few things here instead"

Hannibal said simply zipping up the back, noticing how she froze for a minute, and then she looked at him over her shoulder.

"And risk your suits getting my dresses' cooties?"

Her tone was light but seeing his face betraying how serious he was, she smiled and turned to fix his tie and wrap her arms around his neck

"Alright, I will"

Hannibal grinned back at her

"But only if Applesauce is welcome to. She spends more nights with my neighbor than me"

Jack Crawford was sitting in his car. He had parked in front of Hannibal's house noticing the two cars and choosing to wait until Hannibal's companion left. Will had called him earlier to give him a rundown of the meeting and share his opinion that Freddie Lounds was getting too close and that Hannibal told him in everything but words that the redhead reporter would need to die.

Jack wished he knew more doctors he could talk to. He only knew two and those two were as deep in the mess as he was. Alana was smart but used her heart instead of her brains and Hannibal was the guy they were trying to catch. Not exactly easy to talk to them about the situation.

Not when Jack's own beliefs weren't as solid as he would like them to be.

The more time that passed the less certain he was this was the right approach. Will's beliefs were almost baseless. Frankly the whole scheme was getting out of hand. He had covered one death so far, was certain Will was getting too deep and soon he would be unable to protect him. On top of that his home situation was getting to him and he desperately needed a shoulder to lean on.

With a sigh Jack let his head fall on the steering wheel hoping they weren't about to ruin an innocent man's life.

One hand in the small of her back, Hannibal guided Alana to her car but stopped her when she was ready to open her door.

"Are you doing anything this weekend?"

"No why?"

"Go away with me?"

He asked pining her between the closed car door and his body. Alana smiled up at him wondering how much better this day would be

"Go away where?"

"It's a surprise"

"How will I know what to pack for?"

Hannibal grinned and waggled his brows suggestively

"How about 'don't'?"

Alana gasped laughing and let him kiss her. The kiss turned more sensual than playful and would soon become indecent had someone not cleared their throat and separate them. Alana blushing and Hannibal with a carefree twinge of his lips looked at the owner of the awkward cough and saw Jack looking more uncomfortable than them.

"Hello Alana, Doctor Lecter"

"Jack"

A few more minutes of awkwardness and Alana was driving away on her way to work while Jack tried to talk some nonsense into Hannibal but was suddenly scared as he practically saw ice pouring into the man's veins the more distance was put between Alana's car and them.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

That Friday at 6am, Hannibal dragged a mostly asleep Alana out of his house and into his car. The cannibal shook his head amused as she curled into a ball, put her head against the window and went on sleeping the moment he turned the engine on and pulled out of the driveway. In the back seat, the cream colored dog, appropriately named Applesauce was, unlike its owner, wide awake with her head pressed against the glass to look out at the scenery.

Hannibal took advantage of the empty roads and pressed down on the gas hard wanting to be out of Virgnia as soon as possible, then he would slow down to take in the scenery. If everything went according to plan, Will would take care of Freddie Lounds while he would be nowhere to be found, without anyone knowing about it, not even Will.

It was a little after 10 am when Alana woke up feeling watched. She sat up blinking rapidly, wondering exactly where she was. She was in Hannibal's car, that much she knew, and it was parked outside a gas station. Staring at her leaning against the window was a little girl.

With stiff limbs and stifling a yawn, Alana opened the door and stepped out of the car, stretching. She was dressed in jeans, heeled boots, a long knit blouse and a chocolate brown leather jacket. When had she gotten dressed? She vaguely remembered Hannibal waking her up before the sun woke up but she didn't remember getting dressed on getting into his car. Where was Applesauce for that matter? Had he remembered to take her dog with them?

"Hi"

The little girl told her looking up at her pulling her out of her thoughts. Alana smiled at the child kneeling down to her level.

"Hello"

"Are you a princess?"

The girl asked mispronouncing the letter 's' for 'th'. Alana shook her head

"No. Are you?"

"My daddy calls me 'princess'"

Alana's smile grew. Her own dad used to call her princess when she was little although it was a good way to avoid calling the twins with the wrong names, which he often did. Then she looked around at the empty lot. Where was everyone?

"Where is your daddy?"

The little girl shrugged

"Mommy said we're going to find him"

"Where is your mommy?"

Wordlessly the little girl pointed to the store next to the gas station. It was a mini market

"Have you seen a man? He tall, has light hair and would have a dog with him"

At that the little girl's face lit up and she nodded

"The dog let me pet it! He told me to look after you"

"And you did a great job"

Alana praised the little girl that practically swelled at the good words.

"Wanna go find her?"

As the little girl nodded Alana took her tiny hand in hers walked around the car. A big stuffed bear stood on its back legs next to the door. As Alana and the little girl walked by it, it opened its mouth

"Go inside"

Alana jumped at the hoarse voice

"Go on, go inside"

"I'm going, shush"

"Go on, it's warm inside, you'll like it, go on"

"Fine, shut up!"

She replied falling in to her old pattern of responding to inanimate animals that talked to her. The little girl didn't seem to find it strange at all, the joys of being a child, and they pushed the glass door together. Almost immediately the little girl waved at her, called a 'bye' and ran off to a woman checking out chips.

Hannibal was as far away from bagged goods as possible. He was standing in front of a counter with cellophane wrapped sandwiches examining one. Alana blinked a few times and then walked behind him

"You're wearing jeans. And boots. Did the aliens invade us while I was sleeping?"

Hannibal looked at her over his shoulder grinning taking in her sleep mussed hair and not quite awake expression.

"You're awake"

He winked causing her to laugh

"So I am"

Reveling at being able to lay claim, she ducked under his arm and examined his choices

"Split the tuna with me?"

"Aren't you hungry?"

"I could never eat too much while on the road. Just enough food to soak up the very large coffee cup I'll get and I'm good to go"

She responded before heading to get said coffee.

"Wait, what did you do with my dog?

It was nearly two pm when Hannibal guided Alana to get off the interstate and down a series of glorified dirt roads leading to a small town named after a hair color and after crossing that, they ended in a glorious, huge lake.

"If you're taking me camping, I'm breaking up with you"

Alana said with the straight face of someone who's spent eight hours in a car and really wanted a comfy bed. Hannibal didn't respond to that, only directed them to drive around the lake and reach a house that was completely isolated. A brief thought of 'this is the perfect place to kill someone' passed through Alana's mind as she parked.

"This is beautiful"

She said instead getting out of the car and stretching. And it really was. The house, albeit isolated, wasn't very big. It was built with logs and was surrounded by woods so thickly, it was perfectly camouflaged. Hannibal stood behind her, wrapping both arms around her waist.

"It belongs to a former patient of mine. She said she'd give the caretaker a heads up to clean up and stock the pantry for us"

Alana turned her head to look at her lover

"She?"

"She's eighty"

Hannibal laughed at the jealousy he heard in her tone and took her hand in his to guide them up the porch and into the house. Applesauce was running ahead of them resenting the cold and pushing the door open the moment Hannibal unlocked it. Alana took it all in.

The ground floor was one big room separating the kitchen from the sitting area via a short wall, on the wall opposite that was a grand fireplace and above it was a deer head with a bell hanging from its neck with a red ribbon. Alana eyed it suspiciously but it remained silent. With a kiss on her side of her head, Hannibal walked to the fireplace.

"How do you like a fire?"

"How about we christen this room instead?"

She grinned.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Hannibal responded to Alana's flirty smile with a predatory one of his own and stalked to her until he could pin her against the wall next to the door, his hands wrapping around her waist possessively.

"You're overdressed my dear"

"You should do something about it"

Alana taunted and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pressing his weight into her, Hannibal pulled her thigh up his side and Alana favored him by dragging her heel up the back of his leg. They were lost in a kiss, tongues swirling and then his lips pulled lightly on her glossy lower one as they parted.

His gloved fingers found their way to the silver zipper of her leather jacket and drew it downwards to reveal the soft lavender blouse and pull it off her in one fluid motion, watching as goose bumps appeared on her pale skin.

She turned around and placed her hands on the wall. Intrigued Hannibal pressed his groin against her ass and pulled her hips into him to undo her jeans. Kneeling fluidly he slid the pants off her legs taking her socks and boots off as well.

He stepped back to admire the amazing sight before him of his very naked girlfriend looking at him over one shoulder grinning at being able to surprise him even when they had been together all day. He felt incredibly hot fully dressed in the warming room but he was enjoying playing with his very willing partner too much to stop.

His fingers found her moist center and gently pressed on the outside of her mound. Alana moaned softly, encouraging him, but he was feeling playful and he wanted to take in more of that sight.

He squatted behind her, both hands gripping her legs, one hand sliding up the back of each leg. He kissed the back of each knee, and then slowly and softly kissed his way up her leg, circling around her cheek as his hands gripped her inner thighs causing her to spread her legs a little for a view the cannibal would never forget.

Alana turned around, and pulled him up. Her fingers made quick work off his coat and polo shirt. Her hands felt cool on his overheated skin as caressed his chest, kissing her way down his stomach. Reaching his belt buckle, she bit softly before undoing it and pulled the jeans down.

One more kiss on flat stomach and she crawled towards the rug in front of the fire. It was in the shape of a grey bear and it made a disgusted sound at the couple. Alana attempted to ignore it and when it didn't work, she stuffed Hannibal's briefs in its mouth muffling the indignant sound.

Behind her, Hannibal, oblivious to the sounds of displeasure from the bear ran his hands on Alana's hips scratching lightly. He was entranced by her and like a sculptor he traced his hands over her body.

He kissed and bit the back of her neck leaving a mark pressing his erection against her leg wanting nothing more than to push forward and make them one. So he did it. He pulled at her hips with both hands, driving into her all in.

He hadn't realized it before, but being inside her was pleasurable in more levels than the physical one. He remained unmoving for a single breath letting her decide the pace of the first encounter of the day. Alana pushed back hard. Hannibal grinned and began pounding on her until he could feel the distinct sensation of his balls slapping into her pussy, causing her to groan his name.

Hannibal wrapped one arm around her stomach and the other hand wrapped around her throat bring her up to rest against him fully. Alana's hands reached behind his neck, through his short hair and scratched his scalp bringing their lips together for a fiery kiss.

They were as close as two people can get, and neither wanted to come apart. Hannibal drove into her roughly having no intention of stopping. Alana was whimpering and held on to him, letting him run the show.

For now.

Feeling her walls clench hard around him, Hannibal's hand left her waist to find her clit, alternating between teasingly soft and harder now, as he moved in and out of her. Alana began shaking as her orgasm hit her suddenly and she rode her high pulling him to go into the abyss with her.

Hannibal lost control of his body as he exploded into her. His eyes rolled back in his head, and her name escaped his lips like a chant. Always a hedonist he forced himself to keep pumping into her more, each thrust spewing more cum into her.

She continued to contract around him squeezing and releasing and each squeeze was a sensory overload. She was gone... on another planet. Her body west from straining against his to totally limp, as her breathing slowed down. Exhausted.

Alana collapsed pulling him to the rug, still inside her. Hannibal's arms still tight around her and Alana's over his in an equally tight grip. With a final kiss on her shoulder, Hannibal fell asleep, utterly spent and his instantly slow breathing pulled her into dreamland as well.

Alana woke up just as the sun set over the lake creating a picture perfect effect of yellow, orange, pink and a variety of blue hues. The fire was dwindling down and the naked woman shifted out of her lover's arms, enjoying the new normal of waking up while he was still inside her. Feeling chilly she pulled on Hannibal's polo shirt, breathed his scent in and called her dog.

The pooch was hidden in the kitchen chased away from the couple by their love making. Alana knelt and gave her dog a decent hug and a petting before opening the fridge to see if there was anything edible inside and pulling out a tupperware with pasta salad.

At applesauce's whining she pulled her boots back on and dashed to the car to get the bag with the doggie treats they had wrapped the previous night and pour some in a bowl and take the salad to the living room.

As she settled next to him Hannibal remarked

"You're dressed"

And made her jump.

"I went to the car to get applesauce's bag. She was hungry"

"You're dressed"

He brushed her explanation away and kept the accusing expression on his face until she rolled her eyes and pulled her clothes off and settled next to him on the rug. Then she handed him a fork to settle to dig into their early dinner. They had a lot more rooms to christen


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The next day dawned cold but incredibly beautiful. Hannibal woke up to find that the warm body he was cuddling up to wasn't Alana but an excited Applesauce eager to lick his face good morning while her tail was whipping his groin in a way that made him think of hot dogs for lunch.

"Go away"

He growled at the dog but Applesauce only barked at him and put her furry head on his chest.

"You have been taking lessons from your mistress, haven't you?"

He accused the dog but the innocence in the puppy's eyes didn't fade. Hannibal shook his head more amused than annoyed and stood up from the comfortable bed to stretch and pull a pair of pj's on. Only then Applesauce got up, shook her head and trailed after him on the way to the kitchen.

"Where is Alana?"

Hannibal asked the dog but the cream pooch had no answer. Instead she pushed her plate to him barking.

"You only have one thing in your mind don't you? Food, food, food"

Hannibal mocked the dog as he served but Applesauce ignored him and began eating with fervor. The coffee pot was full and Hannibal poured himself a cup and walked to the windows to watch the view looking for Alana, beginning to grow concerned.

He didn't like waking up without her.

When Alana still didn't return by the time he finished his coffee, Hannibal returned to the bedroom to get dressed and grab the dog's leash. For the first time he hated that the lake had no cell service. Holding Applesauce by the leash he left the lake house and both he and dog began looking for the wayward brunette.

"Alana! Alana!"

Alana had woken up feeling refreshed and bursting with energy. She had laid in Hannibal's arms, feeling him pulse inside her and watched him sleep. He looked so innocent and open in sleep that she couldn't help but observe him lovingly. It was with difficulty that she left the bed and evaded his hands looking for her even in sleep. She hadn't been able to extract him from her until Applesauce jumped on the bed and settled in the warm spot left by Alana.

Alana had to muffle her mouth with both hands, unable to hold in her laughter as Hannibal gripped the dog and settled back to sleep. Pressing a kiss on his forehead and burying her hand in Applesauce's fur, Alana walked to the closet to pull on a pair of stretchy and comfortable jeans and go for a run.

Before she left, she bit her lip and retrieved her phone from the nightstand. There was no cell signal in the area but she had taken it with her anyway. Now she brought the app for the camera and snapped a photo of her sleeping boyfriend. It'd make good blackmail the next time she wanted a salad and he insisted on meat.

Pulling a coat on, she ignored the stag on the wall bidding her goodbye and got out to the cold morning. She was in good shape but jogging in the snow proved to be an added challenge. Yet she managed to find a pace to allow her to clear her head and think.

She was gone deeply inside her mind comparing Hannibal the public figure and Hannibal the man as she got to know him in the few days she lived with him and how he accepted Applesauce in his house easily.

She never saw the trap until she was caught.

Hannibal was putting old skills in work as he used the tracks left by Alana's shoes; Applesauce was sniffing at the show a few steps ahead of him. Walking among the snow brought memories to him. Memories of events past inevitably followed by thinking how he would change those events if he could.

A scream broke through his reveries and caused him to change his direction and run blindly, jumping over fallen logs and stopping only when he reached a small clearing at the informal border between he lake and the national park.

Alana was just getting up, covered in snow and leaves, her face red with annoyance. A large man was helping her up apologizing profusely.

"Alana, are you alright?"

Hannibal called noticing how she seemed to balance on one foot only. She turned to look at him with her ponytail flying in the air from one shoulder to the other.

"Hannibal! I'm fine, was jogging and didn't see the trap"

She explained and said the last part glaring at the big, orange vested man that still had a hand on her.

"You also didn't see the signs that's hunting season"

The big man mocked until he saw Hannibal's cold eyes and added

"ma'am"

Alana tightened her eyes at him and buried one snow covered glove at her dog's fur, halting the loud growling in favor of a lower one that was far scarier.

"That's because there aren't any"

Her voice was just as icy as her eyes. Hannibal wrapped his left arm around her and listened to the man's excuses about the lack of warning signs and how he 'mistakenly' put traps on the lake side of the border where hunting was illegal and didn't seem to care he had hurt someone.

"Can I have your business card?"

The day passed quickly for Alana and Hannibal. After a brief stop at the house they drove to Auburn for some sightseeing, some shopping, and some walking. A little before sunset Hannibal stopped a teenage boy laden with a shopping bag and asked him to take a photo of him and a disbelieving Alana just as the sun set giving him an eerie storybook look and filling Alana's hair with red hues.

Then they followed the teenager's advice and went to a gallery. It shared housing with a gift shop and the pair visited both looking at lots of bad art, a few collages that succeeded and a hidden treasure. Early twentieth-century works on paper. Hannibal was entranced by a print that depicted a winter day in some far away land. Snow was piling on the ground, a majestic castle in the middle, and mountains in the background. A flock of black swans overhead and a grand lake to the side.

Tears gathered in Hannibal's eyes making Alana hold on him concerned. Without a shred of deliberation Hannibal bought it and had it wrapped and placed in a special case.

"I didn't know you like scenery shots"

She said as they left the gallery.

"The castle depicted was my home"

Hannibal revealed.

"I had to have it"

"Yes you did"

Alana smiled at him and reached on her toes to give him a soft kiss that he returned as they walked across a gazebo featuring park and into a small bistro. Northern Italian food, seating inside and out on glass covered patio. The night breeze was kind — the sort of caressing coldness that keeps people moving to Maine despite the blistering cold and the snow — and the chose outside. Small lacy trees in straw covered pots made the glass that separated the patio from the sidewalk seem less like a fishbowl. White lattice partitions had been set up around groupings of tables, affording the illusion of privacy.

The waiter was a pony tailed teenager and he recited what seemed like an endless list of specials with the hubris of a bright student. The lighting was so dim, just a single covered candle on each table that they had to lean forward to make out the menus.

Even though they had a big country lunch they ordered sea food salads, two kinds of veal, and a bottle of Chianti. Conversation came easily but they stayed away from work matters and instead talked about the small town, the creepy hunter of that morning and the sweet smelling candles Alana had bought. When the food came, they concentrated on eating. The waiter wheeled a dessert cart tableside and Alana chose a monumental chocolate and passion fruit thing that looked as if baking it required a building permit. Hannibal ordered a lemon ice and watched Alana attack her dessert from top to bottom. When she was halfway through the pastry, she wiped cream from her lips and had a small sip of her wine

"Did you decide to come up for air?"

"Want any of this? I'm full."

"No thank you"

Hannibal was still staring at the pastry. Alana laughed

"Don't worry, it won't fatten me up. You will help me burn the calories, won't you?"

"With pleasure"

Hannibal called for the check immediately


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Returning at the house, Alana decided to soak up at the hot tub she had spied earlier. Hannibal had objected that neither had brought bathing suits but Alana gave her boyfriend a knowing grin and walked stealthily towards the dark wood tub to begin the process of lifting the lid off. Opening the one half and folding it over the other and then walking over to the other side and pushing the whole thing up and over the edge.

The she slipped her clothes off without taking her eyes off Hannibal's and slipped into the hot water once she wore nothing at all. Then she turned the jets on, enjoying the soothing feel of them on her muscles. She closed her eyes, letting the steady stream of water massage her body, allowing her to be a too delectable image for Hannibal to ignore.

She heard the sliding door open and close again. She opened her eyes lazily and looked over at Hannibal who was sitting at the edge of the tub with the stern expression of a schoolmarm. Yet it was betrayed by the lust in his honey eyes.

"The water seems nice"

"Mmm, it is"

She watched his eyes travel down the length of her body and darken to a crimson color she'd come to associate with lust. The silence reigned over the both of them for a bit, until he shattered it again:

"You can be seen by passerbys though"

Alana sat up, showing off her shoulders and ample cleavage as the water now bubbled right beneath her breasts.

"There's no one out there Hannibal. Just you and me. Want to join me?"

"I don't have a suit"

"The water is too nice to let such a trivial thing stop you"

She could see a tendon in his jaw pulsing as if he were clenching and unclenching his teeth in response to her teasing. Then he sat up and slipped his shirt over his head, revealing his toned abs and pectorals, the cords of muscles rippling in the moonlight. Alana felt the familiar flutter she had felt for the first time two short months earlier. Hannibal let the dark grey pair of underwear fall to the floor and slipped into the hot tub beside her.

Hannibal took Alana's ankle in his hands and began massaging it even though it hadn't hurt her since her morning fall. However the man was too talented to make him stop, but she couldn't hold her observations to herself.

"You wear jeans. You hike with a practiced ease. We are 90 minutes away from any kind of civilianization and you're fine with it. You had a sloppy Joe for lunch with the house wine and you ate with gusto. You're a completely different person from the one I knew yesterday and that person is completely different from the man I go home with. How many person suits do you have? I feel like I don't know you..."

Hannibal looked at Alana as she spoke. His fingers worked the arch and the flesh of her ankle and foot but his mind was at her words. She was too smart to be fooled and he gripped her foot tighter feeling as if she might slip away.

"You know me better than anyone else"

He responded with the same intimate tone he had used the night he taught her how to play his Theremin.

"I believe you. Yet I feel like I have barely scratched the surface"

"Maybe you won't like what lies underneath"

"Maybe I'll love it"

Later Alana would blame her whispered words at the house wine. Hannibal smiled rather mischievously, the corner of his mouth upturned in the sexiest way. Alana realized she wanted those lips to be on hers, but then realizing what she was thinking she shooed the thoughts away. Ever since they had first crossed the last barrier of their friendship, they were unable to be together and not kissing or in bed.

She looked down staring into the water, watching bubbles froth from the jets and sifting them with her hands. The chlorinated water slipped right through her fingers. She sensed Hannibal's eyes on her, studying her movements.

"Not that I am complaining, because I do love the view, but I cannot help wondering why you are sitting opposite me and not next to me"

Alana laughed softly, hiding her smirk with her long, dark hair, before saying:

"I was wondering why we always end up in bed ever since we slept together"

She said looking over at him catching his eyes with hers.

"We are making up for lost time"

He responded gravely and used the foot he was rubbing, to yank her closer until she was in his arms.

"Hello"

Alana whispered against his shoulder her eyes meeting his softening ones feeling her cheeks burn

"Truth or Dare?"

"I'm sorry?"

Alana laughed at his bewilderment, some memories from her high school days coming to mind.

"Truth or dare. The high school game?"

"oh... erm truth"

Alana regarded him under glistering lashes wondering if she should push or settle for something playful.

"Did you really enjoy those sloppy Joes? Because I make a mean sloppy Joe"

Hannibal laughed almost relieved and then nodded

"Maybe you should cook for me"

"Maybe I should. Your turn"

"Truth or dare?"

Alana wanted to pick a dare but there was a certain gleam in his eyes that gave her pause.

"Truth"

Hannibal smirked pleased but remained silent for a few moments, thinking of something.

"What's a sexual fantasy you've always had?"

Alana was surprised but staggered on realizing that being open about sexual matters was something else she didn't know about him

"eerr. Well... it's always been a secret fantasy of mine to do it up against a wall"

She confessed.

"Ah, I see,"

Hannibal said, glancing back at the walls of the house. Alana turned redder

"Your embarrassment is enthralling."

"Dare. You happy now?"

"Extremely. I dare you to turn me on without touching me."

Hannibal said, with a grin that could only be described as lewd. Alana's face burned. She hoped he couldn't see this sign of embarrassment. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, she was, in fact, embarrassed. But she wanted to prove herself for some reason.

She smiled as she returned to her original seat across from him. She took her breasts in her hands giving them a quick squeeze, smiling wickedly before lowering the level of water in the tub. Her ample breasts responded to the sudden coolness of air by perking up, her nipples hardening into pert little buds.

She slipped her hands down her stomach towards her most intimate areas but she raised her leg to cover her ministrations. Hannibal's full attention was on her and if the sudden rising of his most faithful companion was any indication, she had completed her dare. Hannibal opened his mouth and closed it again twice like a gaping fish causing her to grin

"I managed to shut you up... I deserve a prize"

She floated over to him once again, positioning herself on his lap in a way so that both of them were comfortable but being paid attention to. A drop of water was perched on Hannibal's rough upper lip.

Alana closer to him and licked her lips, their close range allowing her to taste it. His eyes bore deep into hers. Both their lips were slightly parted and they could feel one another's hot breath on their skin. Hannibal took the bait and leaned closer to her, their lips just barely touching before they crashed into each other.

Their eyes fluttered closed as their tongues ferociously combated one another. Nibbling and occasional biting of lips fit in between all the sucking and intertwining of lips. The two of them had not kissed like that before. Not with this desperate need and voracious hunger.

The ferocity of the kiss dimmed as they slowed more and the kissing became more sensual and sexually awakening. Hannibal was stroking Alana's smooth legs, his hands then moving up to her waist and arms. Alana had her arms around his neck, tousling his hair behind his ears and at the nape of his neck. They were feeling as hot as the water they'd been relaxing in.

"Alana"

Hannibal said in between intervals of their intertwined lips,

"I want"

Kiss

"To fulfill"

Kiss

"Your"

Kiss

"Fantasy"

She smiled into the kiss at this and gently pulled away. She slipped out and gestured for him to come out too. He put the lid back on the hit tub, she grabbed Hannibal's hand and they made their way over to one of the walls kissing and slowly stepping.

Breaking the kiss, Hannibal pushed her up against the wall, pressing her ass and shoulder blades up to the rough bricks and went in to lock lips with hers once again. She squirmed slightly before accepting defeat and returned his ferocious kiss hungrily.

The pleasure of a mere kiss was becoming so intense Hannibal regretfully pulled his lips from hers and traveled down her neck ad shoulders letting her breath and bit Alana's shoulder hard enough to draw blood.

Alana bucked her hips and threw her arms around Hannibal shoulders, just staying there, letting their heartbeats slow to an acceptable rhythm.

"God, I love you"

He whispered against her neck. Hannibal felt shaky after the admission but held on to her tightly. It was a couple minutes later that he looked up at her. It seemed like her skin was glowing a perfect canvas for the mark he just put on her.

"I love you too"

Alana confided and lowered her face for another deep kiss. She melted into him, her entire being satisfied. Hannibal tightened his hold on her and carried them inside the house and into the bedroom, not being able to hear the gagging sounds from all stags, cow creamers, cat figurines on the fridge door as the passed in front of them.

They collapsed on the queen sized bed, spooning. Alana kissed his neck and fell asleep immediately, Hannibal remaining awake a little longer thinking he'd need a lot of coffee and iron will to leave her tonight.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Alana woke up shivering. She was covered well in a thick wool blanket with a tribal design in brown, green and warm orange but she was alone in the big bed and the fire had died in the fireplace. She remembered Hannibal lighting it when they went to bed. Sneaking one hand from under the covers to the empty side of the bed she found it cold and sat up pulling the covers with her. Resembling an ancient Greek Goddess wrapped in the sheets, she padded to the wardrobe and pulled on some clothes to go searching for her wayward lover.

A glance on her watch told her it was 3am. The witching hour.

She shivered as she went from room to room but Hannibal was nowhere to be found. Frowning she went to the ground floor thinking he may have gotten the munchies and decided to cook. It wouldn't be the first time but the kitchen was empty and the fire was out in the living room as well. If the car wasn't in the driveway, she'd be afraid he left her. The stag above the fireplace looked at her

"Go to the basement"

"Thanks"

Alana replied to the chatty head and returned to the stairs. The door to the basement was located underneath them in a natural continuation. She had a bad feeling as she descended.

If her gut had a mouth it'd be screaming at her 'Will was right, will was right' because the moment she set foot at the cold stone floor she was greeted by a grotesque visual.

On a long stone table was laid a sheet of green plastic. Over it was laid, naked and hopefully dead, the hunter she had met that morning. His limbs were removed and deposited in a heap on the counter that ran along three sides of the basement. On the other side of the table stood Hannibal handling a bone saw like a pro and was set on removing the head as well.

Alana gasped feeling bile rising in her throat. Hannibal looked up at the sound. Surprised caramel-red met confused clear blue.

"Shit"

The word slipped through Hannibal's lips without him realizing it. He set down the bone saw and moved the now cut head to rest with the limbs and saw Alana getting green at the action.

Earlier after she had fallen asleep he couldn't stop staring at the soft swelling of her foot, and even though she insisted it didn't hurt, she had avoided wearing heels and had sighed once they were inside the hot tub. So he changed his plans about their weekend away. He had slipped out of their bed, covered her well and went hunting.

Humans were so predictable. all he had to do was go to the spot Alana had met Hunter, seriously that was his name, and watch the burly man as he set more rabbit traps and quickly beheaded the small animals as soon as they were caught, the bitter scent of their blood inviting more and more to the traps for slaughter.

Hannibal was armed with a hypodermic needle and a good amount of a paralytic agent. No need to tarnish the meat and he didn't want to fight since explaining the bruises to Alana would be impossible. He knew no one would miss the man for the business card he had asked for earlier was phony. The man caught rabbits and sold them illegally in markets. The perfect victim.

He had freed the caught rabbits briefly thinking of keeping one to gift Alana and hauled the dragged man to the basement where he had set already the plastic sheets and had gotten his travel murder kit from the car. He hadn't planned on killing this weekend but a man should always avenge his woman.

Yet this logic somehow seemed faulty when the woman in question was standing in front of him, arms crossed, looking ready to either scream at him or faint. Seeing her dressed in yoga pants and a hoodie instead of her usual sleep attire (one of his shirts, ideally the one he spent all day wearing) made him feel upset and guilty.

"I woke up and I was alone"

She replied to his unspoken question of what the hell was she doing in the basement looking everywhere except the remains in front of him

"Why Hannibal?"

Hannibal removed the clear goggles he wore.

"I had to avenge you"

He said simply. Alana shook her head

"There is nothing to avenge! Certainly nothing that requires killing and dismembering. A punch to the nose would have done the trick if you were feeling territorial"

Alana's voice trembled with effort not to shout

"He was setting more traps to..."

"So you were saving the rabbits too? You didn't seem to have a problem with eating rabbits a month ago!"

Hannibal watched as Alana glanced at the carcass and realization slipped in to her eyes and the blue orbs snapped up to look at him

"That *_was_* rabbit, wasn't it?"

Refusing to lie Hannibal remained quiet. This time Alana paled more and sat on the bottom step of the stairs with a loud thump

"I want the truth. Now"

Her voice was hollow but her gaze was unyielding. Hannibal stepped away from the table, removed his plastic suit he had worn over his own pjs he walked to the stairs and sat down on an ottoman the owners of the house had left there.

With a deep breath he unloaded his life story to her. No retconning and no time jumps. Just the truth and the gory details. All of them.

Curled in a ball, holding her legs and resting her chin on her knees Alana listened to Hannibal's story. He told her about his parents dying, his baby sister soon joining them but in a way far crueler and more gruesome than the pneumonia story he had told her once, when as his student she had entrusted him with the story about her own sister and he had told her about Mischa and had shown her the baby bracelet he still kept.

He described life at the orphanage in Paris, then living with his uncle and aunt, becoming the man of the house after his uncle passed and learning about the concept of revenge by his Asian aunt and a butcher that insulted her in a market. Hannibal's first kill and human meal, since his aunt's chef told him about the cheeks of fish being served to the masters of the house. Hannibal served his aunt one of the butcher's cheeks and he ate the other.

Then came the concept of revenge against his sister's killers born by a long conversation with his aunt. That was his long-term project alongside his studies and once all four men were dead, eaten and buried, eighteen year old Hannibal came to America.

"My revenge was complete. I made a new start. No killing, no eating. I missed the taste though. No other food tasted quite so good"

"Wonder why"

Alana snarked under her breath. Then Hannibal told her how a man burned almost to a crisp entered his ER one night. They couldn't save the man of course; they only could help him pass with less pain. On impulse Hannibal had broken a small part of the man's arm and ate it.

"And just like that I was off the wagon. Never looked back either"

Soon after that the Ripper emerged, first in far places and with different methods of killing as Hannibal found out how each cause of death affected the meat and then as he found his niche the Ripper was steady enough to require the FBI's attention.

"I quit the hospital where I had met most my victims, went back to school, became a therapist. Since I sentenced people to death, it was only fair I tried to sooth others"

Alana raised an eyebrow but didn't question the logic. Sociopaths didn't have logic but Hannibal wasn't a sociopath. He was able to feel and he felt deeply, she knew that. Insane as it was, it did make sense if one viewed cannibalism as an addiction.

Sensing her thoughts, Hannibal told her how she got his attention at class. How he had wanted her to join him, but not as a killer. He wanted a friend and he was embarrassed to admit that. She became that friend. She allowed him to get to know her and he did the same with the layers of his personality he could show her without having to hurt her later.

When she confided in him that a trainee of the FBI had approached her on the elliptical machine one day to talk about serial killers he had been scared. The more time Alana spent with Miriam Lass though, the more Hannibal calmed. If the trainee had figured it out, she wouldn't try to coax Alana into confessing her thoughts about the ripper. She'd have broken his door armed with a swat team.

And then Miriam did knock on his door. She had found out enough to try a jump in logic and question him but she didn't know enough yet. So he tested her and the little trainee passed with flying colors. He took her out of the way and immediately loaded Alana with work at the university so she would have no time for her usual Saturday workout. The workout she would normally be joined by the trainee.

FBI agent in training Miriam Lass went missing and no more agents (in training or not) knocked on his door. To be safe though Hannibal stopped killing in the ripper way. Instead he killed only a few people and made sure to erase the bodies. That way he had more meat with half the hassle and one third of the fun.

Until a late summer day nearly six months ago. Alana called him to ask him out to lunch and propose he sees a friend of hers. A friend he had heard little about and who would work with the FBI for a one-off case he had studied as a fellow cannibal.

Meeting Jack Crawford and giving him the test Miriam Lass had passed and the older man had failed, Hannibal accepted the patient. Will Graham had a unique mind and so the ripper returned. So far Hannibal was not only winning the game he had taken his opponent's queen and made her his.

He let himself act on feelings he had done his best to ignore for too long and voiced them.

"You used me"

Alana misinterpreted his words tears shining in her eyes

"NO!"

Hannibal shouted and crossed the few feet between them in a flash to drop on his knees in front of her and gripped her arms tightly enough to leave bruises

"I never used you. Your presence in my bed may have given me an alibi one night but your presence in my life is the best thing that has happened in my life. I told you I love you and I mean it damnit"

He shouted in her face. He expected a kick in the groin for his actions but what he got was something he never would have expected


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Alana was wondering who exactly controlled her actions because she certainly wasn't. As Hannibal gripped her tightly and got in her face shouting his feelings for her she lost control. The passion and honestly in his eyes swept her and fisting her hands on the pullover he wore she crushed her lips on his. She saw his eyes widen and his hands loosen their hold on her arms. Suddenly back in control she pushed him back, flat on his ass; she stood up and ran up the stairs.

"Shut up!"

She shouted at the stag head before it could begin to say something and went straight to the kitchen needing a drink. She had no idea who owned this place but they certainly believed in stocking their bar. In the cupboards in the kitchen was a bottle with vodka and Alana served herself and knocked back 3 shots in a row until the white noise in her head finally stopped and she could think clearly again.

Removing the starfish from her neck she held in her palm and looked at it.

"So now you're going to be quiet?"

She asked the starfish that indeed remained quiet. Rubbing her face with a hand Alana downed another shot. She wished she could go back an hour and stay in bed. Unlearn what she now knew.

Tears filled in her eyes. She had chosen the wrong team to support. Will was telling the truth and she had allowed her logic to dictate her actions. She had pushed him away refusing to even consider his words. And for what?

For someone that used her to find out about the investigation? Someone that slept with her to keep her attention away from things that were glaring her in the face? Someone she...

"I love him"

She said with a sob, the realization of her feelings hitting her like a sack of bricks. She should call Jack or the state police and tell them but... she couldn't. Not because they wouldn't believe her, they would if Will's suddenly understandable actions were anything to go by but because she wouldn't be able to live with herself.

Once, long ago, she allowed herself the freedom of making no choices and let life pass her by. Could she do that again? Break things off with Hannibal and let "the game" with the Feds run its course without her? Watch as her friends or her boyfriend lost from the sidelines?

Her head screamed 'yes'.

Her heart screamed 'no'.

"Talk to me. Help me"

She begged the pendant as a ear slid down her cheek

Watching Alana run away from him, Hannibal stood and angry threw the ottoman he sat on before clear across the room. He was relieved she now knew but he also had a decision to make. He couldn't allow her to ruin everything, nor could he hurt her.

"What now?"

He asked himself. Part of him wanted to run after her and shake her, beg her, threaten her, do whatever she wanted as long as she didn't leave him

"That is why no one can ever know about you"

Bedelia's voice ran through his head and suddenly he was pissed off. When had she woken up? Why hadn't he knocked her out for a few hours? Why couldn't he let the hunter go?

With tears clouding his vision he walked back to the dead guy, picked up a cleaver and started sectioning him for meals. For once his butchering felt like a chore. Something that had to be done.

He had finished cutting and labeling the servings when he smelled her again and looked up. Alana's face was as tear marked as his and her eyes were equally dull and dead. In her hands she held a bag.

She wanted to leave...

With heavy steps ad decision made Alana walked to Hannibal and began cleaning up. Head, wrists and fingers, thick bones, the plastic sheets, the hunter's clothes, everything that couldn't be consumed or Hannibal had discarded in a large pile, went into the bag.

"What are you doing?"

Hannibal's voice was emotionless. His expression empty, going through the motions, like her.

"What does it look like? I'm cleaning up. Unless you were planning on leaving all that for the owners to find"

Her voice was harsher than she wanted it to be, but it lacked emotion. She zipped the bag closed while Hannibal put the edible meat in a large red cooler, the same one they had used for camping one day, years ago.

Wordlessly he followed her to the car and got in the passenger's seat, both cooler and trash bag in the backseat. Alana fixed the seat to be comfortable and began driving. Hannibal briefly wondered where they were going and if he should have changed.

"Where are we going?"

"I saw a cemetery when we arrived. White smoke was wafting over it so it means there's a cremation chamber. It's still early so there'll be no employees. We can use it"

Hannibal looked at her. Her face was set, her eyes red. She looked tired. He wanted to hug her, hold her till the storm was over.

"You don't have to do this"

"It's my fault. If I had stayed in bed this morning like a normal person in a weekend getaway nothing would have happened"

"Alana..."

Hannibal put his hand on hers on the wheel but Alana jerked her hand off.

"Don't!"

Her voice shook with barely covered hysteria. Hannibal cursed silently and put his hands on his lap. Alana drove at the speed limit; eyes locked on the road, letting the predawn light guide her and kept the headlights off. She, Aaron and Arrianne had snuck into the house for years driving like that.

Arriving at the cemetery Hannibal pushed the gates open and she drove to the buildings in a corner. Hijacking the lock was easy with a hairpin. Starting the cremation chamber was also easy. After depositing the bar and the remains on the metallic tray they added their clothes, gloves, everything that was bloodied and changed in the clothes Alana had the forethought to pack for them and set the chamber on.

They remained there, staring at the huge flames eat through the remains of the poor bastard that had been a dick to Alana and paid for it with his life.

"I won't tell"

Said Alana without looking at him. A heavy breath that Hannibal hadn't realized he was holding, escaped his lips

"I want you to promise me something though"

She went on.

"Anything"

"If I step out of line one day, I need you to promise me I will go missing. Not end up on your dining table"

Her voice shook

"Alana, I won't.."

"Promise. Please"

She whispered, looking at him for the first time in what felt like hours.

"I promise"

Hannibal whispered. Hearing his promise, and knowing he meant it, Alana broke down in hot tears.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Hannibal returned to his home alone armed with a cooler of human meat he had no plans on consuming unless he had to. His house was big, empty and cold. Usually he would find solace in it but now it felt foreign.

Walking to his room, he stopped as soon as his knees touched the bed. Unable to get in it and sleep for her scent was all over it; he turned around and went to his spare room. That room had no memories and the sleep that had eluded him for hours was finally willing to reach him. He chose not to acknowledge he was gripping her kimono robe tightly in his hands placed under his nose.

When his 2 o' clock arrived he was still groggy and barely functional. Good, rich, expensive coffee was the only thing that kept him going and when it was time for dinner he decided to get revenge on Will. So he cooked the one thing he hated eating and seeing the younger man eat the ortolan bird was oddly satisfying especially since Will made the disgusted face all children do when they eat a plate of greens.

It was petty to take out his frustrations on Will but amusing. Especially since the younger man was trying something. What? Hannibal wasn't sure. It could have been true that Will was trying to see how killing worked for him but the timing was interesting.

Timing. Isn't that what everything is about?

Alana had immersed herself in her work. If she was busy with exams and grades and shaping young eager minds then she had no time to think about her weekend in New England, nor everything that had come of it.

She also very actively avoided Hannibal, Will, Jack, Freddie, everyone. Not that avoidance was difficult. She had been low on Jack's list for assistance ever since he found out about her nighttime rendezvous with Hannibal and her choice to believe him over Will. Similarly she had no contact with Will and Freddie had been surprisingly quiet ever since the Dinner last week.

She had a long over the phone session with Dr Cambell, her old psychiatrist, but since the episodes were seemingly over he didn't have a lot of advice for her, besides his advices hadn't helped much, if any, ten years ago... His brass monkey was a better therapist than him.

She was so busy that when her cell phone rang with Jack's number flashing on the screen she did not answer. When the phone kept ringing and made her sick of the ring tone, she answered and was summoned by a cold Jack to report to his office.

So there she was now. Watching Jack question Will about Freddie going missing a few miles from his house. Will acting guilty yet defiant, Hannibal dismissive, and Jack himself acting as a puppet master. She remained quiet, remembering the glances Will and Hannibal gave each other last week at dinner and Hannibal's insistence for their weekend getaway.

Was anything not planned in advance with these 3 men?

"She was a slim and delicate pig"

Hannibal stared at Will. The younger man had just handed him two pieces of meat letting him deduce it was Freddie with a straight face. Danger bells began clanging in his head.

Could it truly be that Will was turning to a killer? First Randall Tier (that he believed for he had seen the bruised and torn knuckles Will was sporting) and now Freddie?

Earlier in Jack's office he felt as if he was being played. Will was too calm, Jack was too docile to truly be accusing Will of murder and Alana... Alana kept her gaze away from him, locked on Will or Jack and her expression was clear as day. She didn't want to be there. His ego wanted him to believe she waned to be away from him but his brain believed it was because it was amateur hour at the FBI.

Yet... if this piece of meat truly was Freddie and the nosy ginger had been killed by Will, what had he created? And how could he be free of it, when the time came? He wore a smile to hide his thoughts

"I'll make you lomo saltado. We will make it together. You slice the ginger"

He accompanied the bad pun by handing Will a sharp knife. He wanted to see if Will had any skill with a knife that would point that the two finely cut pieces of meat were cut by him and not a professional butcher. Freddie's charred corpse had beautifully preserved teeth and Will's ramblings about fire had him internally grinning.

Poor poor peasants, so naive in their thinking.

"Right when I think I'm out, I'm yanked right back in"

Alana grumbled under her breath for being the universe's puppet once again. She had been woken up far too early by the brass monkey that decided to open its mouth (she certainly regretted laying all the muses on her floors now) and send her looking for answers. Will's happiness at her sudden visit was replaced by a frown when she told him she wasn't there for a friendly visit and after a vague threat he rewarded her with a gun.

What she noticed though wasn't his threats so much as the state he was in. trembling and soggier than a mop. More hallucinations? And now that she knew who and what Hannibal was, what did it mean about Will? Was he playing a part, was he becoming a killer or was he slowly reverting to his unstable status?

Most importantly, why did she feel ready to wash her hands off of him?

Hannibal pushed a pawn in his mental chessboard, told a two truths and one lie, patting himself on the back when all three were accepted as truths.

He didn't blame Will for their game. He didn't blame himself either. He had done his homework on his opponent and knew how to play. It was most interesting how his opponents hadn't done their homework on him.

If only they had...

Alana was having dinner with her sister. Sharon was in town for a meeting and the two sisters were having a pleasant meal talking about their parents and brother, their work and even the weather. They weren't close growing up but now they were and Alana found herself asking her sister's professional opinion about recent events and liability. Sharon, who was a lawyer working mainly with immigration issues, had squinted at her younger sister a lot but kept her curiosity to herself and answered.

In her expert opinion, Alana should cut strings and distance herself ASAP. Alana snorted in her beer and let her sister change the subject and talk about the woman she was seeing.

They were driving towards Alana's home when a car with blue and red lights stopped her with a message from Jack. Alana had signed annoyed, lent her car to her sister and let the cop drive her to the cemetery.

Crime scene techs, Will and Jack were around a thing. On a closer inspection she saw what it was. A skeleton formed in the shape of a Shiva. She wasn't sure what was shockier. The statue or Will's casualness around it. Or Jack's for that matter.

Once again she found herself wondering if she was going to get dinner with the show she was attending

"This killer wants attention"

Jack prodded

"Whoever killed Freddie killed Randall Tier, mutilated him, dismembered him, and put him on display"

She responded feeling like a child in the school production.

"Freddie Lounds and Randall Tier have a connection"

Jack read his script

"Will"

Alana knew she was supposed to say Hannibal's name but she uttered Will's instead. The man in question looked at her so she twisted her words just to see how the producers of the amateuristic play would respond when their actress refused to comply with the given script

She wasn't disappointed when Will began prattling about benefactors and the meaning of the statue with the abnormally white teeth.

"Maybe Freddie's killer didn't do this... maybe his benefactor did. It's a courtship"

She said what she was supposed to say but couldn't help herself before adding (or simply pointing) the flaw in the logic

"But to whom?"

"What do you mean?"

Jack turned to look at her only Alana kept her eyes on Will's.

"You're assuming there is one killer and one benefactor, yet Shiva is a deity with six hands. It requires three bodies. To me it looks more like a class project. Three killers, not one"

Will opened his mouth to object but Alana spoke over him

"You're also choosing to overlook something important. If there is a teacher and a student, what stops the teacher from having many students or the student from having many teachers? When you have one master and one student, the student becomes nothing more than the master's minion. A Mini-them. No master wants that incase the minion surpasses them. Not to mention that the student copies so well that it's easy for them to pay for their master's crimes. If you've killed Randall using the Ripper method Will, what stops the Ripper from letting you take the blame for all his killings? The Ripper gave you freedom taking credit for the Copycat murders once... "

Alana smirked at the shock on Will's face and the doubt on Jack's

"The Ripper giveth, and the Ripper taketh away"

With that she walked away from the carnage knowing Jack's already crumbling faith in Will was shaken even more and Will had to acknowledge his own faults. If he had terrors and hallucinations again he wasn't safe to be around. Not for her, not for Hannibal (despite his own plans), not for Jack, not for anyone.

And she was done with it all.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

His eyes opened in the middle of the night. He sensed more than he heard anything but he had woken up by something and he slipped out of bed to carefully descend the stairs. There was no light in the house except the foyer where Alana was leaning against the front door.

"We need to talk"

She said simply before removing her coat to put it on the back of a chair, her purse on the seat and her brand new keys were tossed in the small bowl at the entry and then she turned to look at him.

"Can it wait?"

"I was at the cemetery. Guess grave robbing and statue building with human remains can finally be added to your resume"

Her voice was flat. Hannibal blinked sleep off his face. He hadn't expected Jack to drag Alana into the investigation. Although judging by the questioning after Freddie's disappearance a couple days ago, he should have. Alana crossed her arms waiting from an explanation.

When none came she shouted

"What were you thinking Hannibal? They know it was you! Jack and Will practically spelled it out for me less than 30 minutes ago! I gave my 'expert opinion' about it and it may have stalled them enough but you're not safe Hannibal"

Hannibal wondered had she told the FBI but his attention shifted to the blood rushing to her face due to her anger. This was a clear issue with their intimacy. Now that he had her, her anger called out to him to hold her and kiss her and re-acquaint himself with her body.

"On top of that Hunter Jerkings has been declared missing. The man has, no the man _had_, a wife and children Hannibal and he's dead why? Because he hid a trap and I hurt my-"

Burying his hand in her long curls Hannibal crushed his lips to Alana's. She fought his grip at first but soon she was pulling him to her with equal passion and fervor.

Hannibal woke up early the next day feeling not oddly at all refreshed and well rested. Alana was sleeping on her side, chest rising and falling in a slow pattern, lips curled in a small smile, one breast and one long leg escaping his dark blue covers. Instead of getting up, he stretched and tightened his hold on her, breathing in her floral scent and closed his eyes.

When he woke up again he was looking into a pair of clear blue eyes belonging to a softly smiling Alana.

"Good morning"

"Hi"

"I need to say something and you need to listen okay?"

Hannibal frowned but nodded. Alana took a breath, licked her lips and pushed a stray lock of hair away from her eyes

"Whatever it is you're doing with Will masked under 'therapy' needs to stop"

Hannibal opened his mouth to complain about them once again talking about Will while in bed and how therapy was confidential but Alana placed a finger on his lips

"I went to see him the morning of Freddie's funeral. I must have woken him up but he was shaking, shivering, drenched in more sweat than I've ever seen him in, he looked everywhere but me. His eyes were wild Hannibal. I wanted him to reassure me that he didn't kill Freddie but..."

Alana sighed. Hannibal's stomach tightened.

"All he did was warn me that just like no one believed him when he accused you of being a killer, no one would believe me if I accused him. Then he gave me a gun and told me to shoot whomever I suspect. I don't scare easily but he scared me..."

Alana closed her eyes and delivered the last part of her speech. Hannibal frowned. What was Will up to?

"I think he's loosing it again and you're... guiding him in it"

Alana whispered, her eyes begging him to comply and stop the madness before it was too late, if it already wasn't. Hannibal kissed the digit that was resting on his lips and hugged his girlfriend close whispering reassuring words in her ear.

He had some thinking to do.

Later that week Alana was sitting on a swing in a busy park with her sister. Taking Sharon's advice was easier than Alana had thought it would be. Georgetown University had no problems with her taking a sabbatical and her guest lecture spot at the FBI academy in Quantico was over.

It was strange to be in the West Coast in the middle of January and lounging at a park, having a cup of coffee with her sister while their brother played with her dog.

"What now?"

Sharon asked looking at Alana over the rim of her coffee worried but not showing it. Alana shrugged one shoulder.

"Give a look at that client you wanted? I haven't exactly thought about it"

She admitted.

"What does the cow creamer say?"

Aaron asked from his play tug with Applesauce. Aaron had been more obsessed with the cow creamer than her and it was Alana the one that could listen to the damned thing!

"Bite me"

She poked her tongue out.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Late spring had set in Los Angeles coating everything in green hues and warm seas. Alana stood in a, not even close to being empty, beach feeling the sun shine down on her smiling softly. Waves were crushing at her feet and Applesauce was running up and down kicking sand everywhere playing with a few random children.

A presence nearby made her turn her head away from the infinite blue and look over her shades. The soft smile widened and she pushed the sunglasses to sit atop her head pulling her hair away from her eyes

"Hello sailor, come here often?"

Hannibal, in full three piece suit and with his shoes on looked utterly out of place He knew it too. With a grimace he walked to her and knelt next to her on the soft blanker.

"Hello beautiful"

No sooner had his butt sat on the blanket, Hannibal reached to hug Alana and pull her in his lap.

"I missed you"

He whispered softly in her ear causing her to grin. It had been too long since he had last held her after she had showed up in his house in the middle of the night in late December.

"I missed you too. So much… Is everything finished and over with back east?"

Hannibal pulled back to look her in the eyes and nodded

"Everything is over. Clean slates, no deaths, all investigations in the murders gone cold"

Alana smiled pleased. Then she nodded

"Everything is ready here too. The practice has grown considerably so far, Sharon has put me in contact with a few judges and I get a lot of custody cases"

Wrapping her fingers around his pale blue tie she pulled him to her and kissed him hard.

"You can start your own workload buster"

Hannibal's laughter was loud and contagious and attracted Applesauce's attention away from the children she had been playing with and ran to them, knocking them both backwards and asking to be petted.

Hannibal's breath was knocked out of his chest but he certainly did not mind and wrapped both arms around Alana's waist tighter and she laid her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat strong and steady.

They had come to an agreement all those months ago. She wouldn't ask and he wouldn't say who provided the meat in their dinner table. She would help him cover the origins as long as those origins would not trace back to them.

"I love you"

She whispered in his shirt and when he replied in kind, she bit her bottom lip and looked in his eyes.

"I have a story to tell you"

"What story?"

Alana took a breath

"Ten years ago I used to live with my parents in upper New York, near the border with Canada on Niagara Falls. Just after finishing med school, a few months after my sister died I got a retail job. And then..."

The end.


End file.
